I was lucky enough to see the NYC screening with a pretty even split of UM and OSU fans and alums.

The director/producer came out and said that he's gotta complaints from both UM and OSU fans that the other school was featured too long, however, I disagree.

I think each school seemed to get equal screen time and proper attention.

I also think it did a great job of portraying the somewhat ugly truth about OSU and UM fans, with UM alums being somewhat arrogant and looking down on OSU while OSU alums have that rep as the school with the inferiority complex towards the school to the north.

They did an incredible job humanizing both Bo and Woody and delved deeply into their well know relationship as enemies on the field and friends off it.

The movie covered each school in spurts of success with a UM focus on the early 1900's, OSU in the 50's and 60's, and then the Ten Year War. Then the film unexplicably rushes through the 80's and 90's of both teams and focuses on the 2002 OSU championship while leaving out the 97' UM championship (even the OSU fans said they were confused by this).

ALso, they did a piece on Tressel, but nothing on Lloyd, which seems incongruous.

These were the only 2 minor qualms.

Everything else had HBO Sports quality all over it. It will make you proud to be a Michigan Wolverine!

That wasn't a cyst; it was the balls in Les's head growing too large to fit in his skull. The doctors had to, like, drain them of macho awesome juice or something to make them go down. And they have to do it every few years.

The screening of The Rivalry last night was pretty good. Toward the end, they did show lots of tOSU, but I didn't think it was so bad because they showed what a bunch of obsessive retards they are, mostly. I also liked that Woody Hayes was accurately shown as a fucking psycho. And yet revered by those loons down south.

Some big omissions though: No Ufer (though his voice did "appear" in the film) and, unless I missed it, no mention whatsoever of Anthony Carter (and/or the No. 1 tradition). Also, what Nelson said above about totally skipping 1997 and no Lloyd.

Still, quite enjoyable to watch and a good way to get even more pumped for our annual appointment with Evil.

I was also at the NYC screening and I largely agree with Nelson, however I feel that because the movie glanced over the 90's, it ended up tipping the balance of the movie toward the OSU side.

They really talk up Earle Bruce and how he continued the success of the Woody era, but they don't make a mention of Moeller or Carr, or even Michigan's 1997 title, though they certainly highlight out OSU's 2002 title. The only reference to the 90s was a bit on Jon Cooper and a blurb on the 95 Biakabatuka game, where I feel the real story was Michigan continually ruining OSU's perfect seasons and OSU failing to do the same to Michigan in 1997.

Also, I think the contrast between the Buckeye fans and the Michigan fans in the audience was so appropriate - the Michigan fans were largely neutrally dressed young professional types (who just came from their jobs), whereas several the OSU fans were in full Buckeye regalia, and many were middle age guys who looked like they'd made the trek from Buttfu#k, Ohio to go to the screening.

Still, it was nice to experience some of the commonalities in the rivalry. The Buckeye sitting next to me got choked up when they talked about Woody's death, and I was choked up when they talked about Bo's death.

All in all, it was still a great documentary and worthwhile viewing for any football fan. Even my football loathing girlfriend enjoyed it.

1.) The early footage and story of old-timey football at the two schools was interesting and well done. First 15-20 minutes are the best. That may because it's the only part of the story that isn't extremely familiar.2.) The Woody depiction was effective and balanced.3.) There's a Woody impersonator named Bo Biafra that crops up every five minutes. One clip of him would have been amusing. Instead they overused him as a kind of voice of the Buckeyes' collective unconscious. It was much too much. The second time he comes on screen, there's a sinking feeling that the production is headed south. 4.) Around the midway point, a broader theme takes over. Essentially, it's passionate, unpolished Buckeyes versus aloof snobs in Ann Arbor. Ohio State comes across as a WWF/Jerry Springer hybrid. Michigan comes across as Mike Wallace chillin' at the law quad. I'm not sure who comes out worse in the depiction, but it's very broad. Buffoonish and lazy.5.) Once Woody enters the story, it becomes the Buckeyes' movie. Thought that the handling of Bo was cursory. A segment on Desmond and the Heisman pose is really the only focus of Michigan on the field for the last 30 minutes.6.) It's basically a long GameDay segment. Not nearly as good as the HBO documentary on the '68 Tigers or a good Real Sports segment.7.) Read this paragraph and you can skip the movie: Football in olden days was fun. Michigan was good. Yost, Friedman, Oosterban, Crisler. Woody Hayes, Woody Hayes. Woody Hayes? Woody Hayes. Bo? Little Woody Hayes. OSU fans = crazy. Michigan fans = snobs. Earl Bruce. Desmond Howard had a touchdown. Biakabatuka was good. John Cooper. Jim Tressel.8.) Jon Chait and Mike Wallace are impressive people, but probably not the most well qualified interview subjects to speak to the history of Michigan football.9.) If you're even a casual fan of either school, you learn nothing new.10.) I did think that the scales tip heavily toward the Buckeyes, but I don't think it's any kind of bias, per se. Michigan doesn't grant much media access. Woody was such an outsized character that putting him at the center probably made for a better story. To me, it ultimately played like a movie about Ohio State and its uppity rival.

Three other friends have seen it. Two of us are negative, one's ambivalent, one's moderately enthusiastic. It's not horrible, but when it was done, I kind of didn't know what the point was.

"Also, I think the contrast between the Buckeye fans and the Michigan fans in the audience was so appropriate - the Michigan fans were largely neutrally dressed young professional types (who just came from their jobs), whereas several the OSU fans were in full Buckeye regalia, and many were middle age guys who looked like they'd made the trek from Buttfu#k, Ohio to go to the screening."

Oh, I get it, neutrally dressed yuppies. More of a Metro-sexual bent. Probably got off work at Macy's Men's apparel, but have to return to make up the time. I guess if you stay long enough it's a profession. Those MBAs come in handy. You didn't mention if they were holding hands.

The old "crazy" middle-aged tOSU guys who own their own businesses probably just told their assistants to keep things humming while they went off to party with the faithful.

Seems to be that way across the country.

On a side note: I get choked up when I see film of Bo. Does that make me less passionate about Woody?

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